The Copa Libertadores Final 2007
South America's Champions League final pitches Boca vs. Gremio
The Final for the Copa Libertadores, South America's Champions League, will see Gremio of Porto Alegre (Bra) take on the might and history of Boca Juniors of Buenos Aires
Boca probably possess more talented individual players and Gremio the better team, so hopefully we can expect some entertaining and high-scoring games in this Final. Traditionally, sides from Argentina have come out on top winning 7 of the 11 encounters between club sides from the two countries, so the players and staff from Gremio will be eager not to swell this statistic.
Both semi-final games illustrated just how much the home support acts as a 12th man. Gremio, who had made light work of Santos in front of their home support, winning 2-0, were overturned 3-1 by a rampant Santos side, buoyed by the presence in the executive box of former great Pele. Despite a brace from Retinho and another by Ze Roberto it was the away goal by Gremio’s 22 year old Diego Souza that defined the outcome of this duel. Needing 4 to win Santos threw everything at the visiting side but two time tournament champions Gremio (1983, 1995) hung on to book their place in the final. For Gremio it would have stung not to have reached the finals since last year the tournament was won by their despised Porto Alegre rivals, Internacional.
The fairytale story of the tournament, Deportivo Cucuta in their first ever appearance in the competition, looked set to continue as the Colombians despatched Boca 3-1 and took a fine lead into the decisive game in Buenos Aires. Alas the Colombians looked well out of their depth and short of big game experience in the cold of the Bombonera. The game was delayed for an hour due to the impenetrable fog shrouding the pitch and when play started at some points players could evidently not see further than 10 meters. Boca’s Juan Roman Riquelme curled in a delightful free kick to score the first, set up Martin Palermo for the second and Sebastian Battaglia put away the third. Cucuta hardly ever threatened suffering the absence of their key goal scorer, Panamanian Blas Perez, away on international duty.
The Finals
1st Leg -13/06/07 Buenos Aires – La Bombonera stadium
2nd Leg – 20/6/07 Porto Alegre – Olimpico Monumental stadium
This 48th edition of the Copa Libertadores will see Boca Juniors dispute its ninth final and Gremio its third. Should Boca win in 2007 this will be the Buenos Aires club’s sixth Libertadores title and therefore just one trophy short of record number of times winners Independiente of Uruguay.
Can the team that unveiled the talent of Ronaldhino keep the trophy in Brazil for the third year in succession following wins by Sao Paulo and Internacional?
See the result of the two leg final here
